Fire-resisting window.



Patented May I3, i902.

T. LEE.

F'IRE BESISTING WINDOW.

(Application led Dec. 80, 1901,)

' (No Model.)

NME Arne Arana OFFICE,

THOMAS LEE, OF HOME CITY, OHIO.

FIRE-RESISTING WINDOW.

SPECIETGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,689, dated May 13,1902. Application filed December 30, 1901. Serial No. 87,675. (Nomodali:

To CLU whom t may con/cern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS LEE, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Home City, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Eire-Resisting Windows;and I do declare the following to be a clear, full, and exactdescription thereof, attention being called to the accompanyingdrawings, with the reference-letters marked thereon, which form also apart of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction offire-resisting windows having sliding sashes and to the manner ofsupport of these latter, which is such as to cause them, if open, toclose automatically upon the advent of a fire.

:;In the following specification and particularly pointed out in theclaims following is found a full description of the invention, togetherwith its manner of operation, parts, and construction, which latter isalso illustrated in accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l shows inelevation the inner side of a window partly open and provided with theimprovements which my invent-ion contemplates. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of the preceding figure. Fig. 3 in a similar view shows thewindow closed. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the window. Fig. 5 isan en- Y larged view showing portions of the preceding gure in detail.

The window-frame and sash-frames itted thereto are made of sheet metal,with the openings in the sashes closed by wire-glass, so that thematerials entering into the construction of this window are `bothnon-combustible and nre-resisting. The elements of which the window andsash frames are cornposed are connected to each other by interlockingjoints,like locked and clenched seams, to the exclusion of solder, so asto avoid disintegration of the parts if exposed to a fire or to the heatradiating therefrom.

The window-frame consists of the upright members A A and the horizontalones being the sillB below and the cap C above. These four members areeach independently constructed and connected to each other in anysuitable way-as, for instance, by rivets. They are each hollowbox-,frame sections with as many of their sides integrally connected asis conveniently possible. As shown in the detail View in Fig. 5, threesides are so connected, the fourth or outer one being connected bylock-seams a. The window-frame so constructed is held in position as awhole by parts projecting outwardly therefrom in a lateral direction-as,for instance, by a nose a', which projects from the outside of theupright members and is surrounded and engaged by the masonry orbrickwork of the wall into which this window-frame is set. The spacesurrounded by this frame is closed by sashes, a lower one D and an upperone E, each having a sliding movement for the purpose of permitting thewindow to be opened or closed. For such purpose these sashes move insashways formed on the inner side of the upright frame members A andbetween projections thereat, which form the guides of such sashways andwhereby the sashes are also held to their movement in proper direction.The outer one of these guides may be formed integrally, as shown at a2,or they may be obtained by the attachment of a strip of angle-iron, asshown at a3. The middle one or parting strip is obtained by a fiat stripa, set into a groove a5, formed on the inside of the uprightsash-frames. At sill and cap no guides are required, there being simplyprojections b and c, respectively, to close the interstices betweenthese parts and the sashes when these latter are closed.

The frames of the sashes consist of four substantially box-framesections, a lower one in each sash designated,respectively, by d and eand an upper one CZ' and e' in each. These horizontal sections areconnected by the upright ones d2 d2 and e2 e2, one on each side of eachsash, and which sections are fitted into the sashways on each of theinner sides of the window-frame, sections d2 cl2 of the lower sashmoving between guides a3 a4 and sections 62 e2 of the upper sash movingbetween guides a" et?.

Sashes of larger size are subdivided-21s, for instance, by intermediateupright sections (Z3 and eS-to reduce the size of the glass panels F.wire-glass, being glass with wire embedded therein, and for theirreception grooves are These latter are preferably of so-called` TOOprovided on the inside of the four sash-frame sections which receivethis glass. To form these grooves, the metal of these frame-sections isdivided at that side and turned in parallel to the glass to form thesides g of these grooves. The bottom of these latter is formed in eachcase by an independent piece G, which may be held in place as shown inFig. 5 for section d3, being simply slid down over the outside of theinturned metal forming sides g of the grooves and held thereto by asliding fit, or, as shown for the other section, the inner edges ofthese sides g may be turned outwardly again to form flanges g', whichare engaged by this bottom piece Gby means of a lock-seam. In order toavoid the friction which would ensue if the side sections would engagethe sashways with a full surface Contact, I omit a fourth or closingside thereat altogether, so that engagement is only with the edges ofthe metal, as shown at h. This required, however, means to support andbrace these side sections internally, which is attained by the internalbrace H. This gutter-shaped member extends through the entire height ofeach of the side sections vof a sash and bearing on the inside againstmember G spreads outwardly and with its outer edges toward the sashway,which edges are engaged by the metal of the section of which this braceforms a part and which metal connects to these edges bybeing turnedaround them, so as to clench them with a locked scam, as shown at h, andthe thinner .or edge part of which only is in Contact with the sashways.To further reduce the friction, especially in case of an uneven movementtending tocrowd a sash nearer to one or the other side, I providefriction-rollers J, supported at the free ends of springs j, whichlatter are secured within the open space surrounded by this internalbrace H and bear with yielding contact against the sashways.

The sashes are hung on rollers K, being supported by chains L, one oneach side, they being attached with one end to one sash and passing oversaid rollers attach to the other sash. In this manner the sashes areconnected to each other, whereby movement of one causes also the otherto move, so that if the lower sash is made heavier than the upper onethe normal tendency of-these sashes is to remain closed. This excess ofweight is by preference placed in the `lower horizontal sash-section dand may consist of metal bars M or a cement filling, which may beintroduced at the time of construction or later through an opening m,which thereafter is closed. f

To hold the windows open either entirely or partly, as shown in Figs. land 2, I provide a chain, cable, or rope N, which is connected to thelower sash and passing over a pulley n.

extends down to within convenient reach for manipulation. After thewindow is opened the lower end of the pull rope or chain is attached ina fixed position to prevent the heavier sash from sliding down into itsclosing position, and whereby the other sash being connected to thissash is also prevented from closing. To so secure this pull rope orchain, any suitable fastening device, nail, or hook O may be used.

In order to secure the automatic closing of such a window in case offire, Iprovide means of combustible or fusible material so connectedwith the sash-sustaining elements as to permit the heavier lower sash toslide down in its ways thereby by reason of its particular connection tothe upper sash, raising and closing this latter. By preference I usefusible material in shape of a link P, which is inserted in a manner sothat it forms part of the means holding the sashes open. As to positionit should be placed as high as possible, and I therefore place itimmediately below the cap of the window-frame, since in such position itis sooner susceptible to the effects of heat than if placed lower down.It forms a part of the sash-sustaining means by being used to supportthe pulleyn, over which chain N passes. Vhenever this fusible link Pbecomes disrupted in consequence of the rising temperature due to afire, the means sustaining the lower sash are thus rendered inactive andpermit this sash to drop down in it-s ways, whereupon the same by reasonof its preponderance in weight and operative connection to the uppersash by means of chains L effects also the closing of such sash.Vhenever the window is so closed in this manner or by a release of thepull-rope N from hook O, it may also be automatically locked by means ofa suitable catch device consisting of two complementary parts,of whichone, T, is attached to the lower section of the lower sash and theother, is attached in proper position to sill B.

It is conceivable that the pull device N might be connected to the uppersash and by means of guide-pulleys be carried to a position convenientfor manipulation, which then would be in reverse direction. Such change,however, would present no particular advantage over the method shown.

Having described my invention, I claim as new- 1. In a fire-resistingwindow, the combination of an outer frame provided with sashways, anupper and lower sliding sash fitted into these ways and operativelyconnected to each other so that movement of Yone sash effects also theother, the lower sash being heavier than the upper one, so as to have anormal tendency to drop and close, thereby raising and closing also theupper sash, a pullrope to sustain the sashes in an open position againstthe action of the heavier sash and a fusible connection connected tothis pullrope.

2. In a fire-resisting window, the combina'- tion of an outer frameprovided with sashways, an upper and lower sliding sash fitted intothese ways and operatively connected to each other so that movement ofone sash effects also the other, thelower sash being heav- Ioo' IICI

ier than the upper one, so as to have a normal tendency to drop andclose, thereby raising and closing also the upper sash, a pullrope orits equivalent attached to the connected sashes to open them and holdthem so, a guide-pulley for this pull device and a support for it, thesame being secured Within the window-opening in the highest part thereofand of a material susceptible to destruction at a predeterminedtemperature.

3. In a fire-resisting window, the combination of an outer frame,provided with sashways, sliding sash-frames fitted thereto consistingeach of four hollow sheet-metal boxframe sections, means to supportthese sashframes, rollers carried by them and interposed between theirupright members and the sashways and springs upon which these rollersare mounted and whereby they are yieldingly held in Contact with thesashways.

In a fire-resisting window, the combination of an outer frame consistingoffour sheetmetal box-frame sections, the inner sides and two adjacentones of the upright sections being integrally connected and formed ofone piece, so shaped as to contain the sashways,

a recess for the parting-strip between them and a sash-guide, the outerside being connected thereto by clenched seams and having part of itbetween its upright edges bent outwardly to form a projecting noseadaptedto be engaged by parts of the wall within which this frame isset, thereby holding it in place and sashes fitted to this frame.

5. In a fire-resisting window, the combination of an outer frame, sashesfitted thereto consisting each of four hollow sheet-metal box-framesections, glass panels tted into these sashes, grooves to receive theedges of these glass panels obtained by turning the edges of the sheetmetal of the sash-frames parallel inwardly thereat and then outwardlyagain forming Hanges and members Gclosing the bottom of these groovesand being held in place by clenching the flanges mentioned.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

THOMAS LEE.

Vtitnesses:

C. SPENGEL, ARTHUR KLINE.

